


Moving Out (Eric's Song)

by seventiesslash (oneswhonever)



Category: That '70s Show
Genre: Adolescent Sexuality, Awkward Romance, Awkward Sexual Situations, Best Friends, Character Death, Friends to Lovers, Heavy Angst, Homosexuality, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Male Friendship, Military, Past Relationship(s), Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Sexuality Crisis, Teen Angst
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-06
Updated: 2017-02-15
Packaged: 2018-09-06 20:40:52
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8768518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oneswhonever/pseuds/seventiesslash
Summary: Shortly before graduation, Eric Forman faces a crisis.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> There isn't enough slash in this list for me. xx

_"Love when you can, cry when you have to;_

_Be who you must, that's a part of the plan."_

 

***

 

Living the simple life was something Eric Forman had limited desire of pursuing. Everyone around him was following the same track, and seemed to know exactly what their futures had in store for them. Eric had little desire to work in a shop for the rest of his life, and he had little desire to live a simple, apple-pie life. A lot of that seemed to contribute to Eric and Donna's most recent break up - Donna wanted to get married and have kids, live in a quaint house with a white picket fence. There was a point in his life when Eric thought he wanted all of that, too. He's not sure what changed. 

Red told him that he was making a mistake and that he let go of one of the best things that had ever happened to him - that he didn't have it in him to go any further and that Eric and Donna would end up getting back together, as they frequently did. That was untrue, for Donna had already pursued a new beau. Casey Kelso. That shouldn't have come as a surprise, but Eric was surprised Donna wanted someone so...brainless. Maybe he was good in bed - who knew?

Eric was finding himself rapidly losing interest in girls, and probably because they all wanted the same thing - kids, and commitment. Eric was capable of providing long-term commitment, but in a relationship where all the woman wants is children and marriage, and a trophy husband - well, damn, what's really the point? He knew not all women were like that, but he had yet to meet someone he truly clicked with, romance-wise. Eric didn't see the need to rush into a serious relationship, anyhow. He could take this new opportunity to focus on his friendships. Maybe some quality time with his buddies would help him come to terms with the fact that he was dumped on his ass by a woman who used to express such deep love. 

Such is life, Eric supposed. It was nothing that couldn't be cured by alcohol, and hanging out with Hyde and Kelso was just the thing he needed to fulfill that quota. Sitting around in the basement, drinking themselves sick while listening to shitty rock music - it could cure all ailments, Eric was sure. He took some ribbing from his friends, but he was expecting that. They all thought it was hilarious that he was the one who got dumped, but they had limited room to talk. Hyde was single and had been for a long ass time. Kelso was on-and-off with Jackie, breaking up every other week. They could say what they pleased, but it was essentially irrelevant at this point in time. 

"I just want to do something with my life, you know?" Eric commented, swishing his drink around in his glass. The beer tasted staler than normal to him, so he busted into his stash of vodka - which he liked to keep around for special occasions where he felt the need to get more shitfaced than normal, such as this particular winter night. "I feel like there's nothing for me in this place...what has Wisconsin ever done for anyone, you know? The longer I stay here, the more boring and shitty things get."

"Forman, you're just talking a load of shit," commented Hyde, who sat at the very end of the couch by Eric's feet. He didn't seem to have a problem with the beer, and was just polishing off his third bottle, ready to crack open a fourth. "I don't know what the hell you think you're going to do with yourself. You've got no experience beyond some pointless part-time jobs."

"Right," replied Kelso, who seemed to gain a bit of intelligence as he got progressively more drunk. "I don't see what the problem is. Donna is a beautiful woman - what's so bad about marriage and kids? Jackie and I are thinking about that."

Naturally. Either way, Eric jumped to his own defense. "I never said there was anything wrong with having kids, nor is there anything wrong with getting married. I don't see why it's something that needs to be done right away. Like, Donna always talked about wanting to go to college and do this and that...so how does she plan to raise a baby on the side? There's plenty of time to do that in the future. Why the rush?"

"Well, Casey won't be going to college," Kelso informed his friends - but Eric didn't find that incredibly surprising. "He's mentioned wanting to do modelling, so I guess there's no harm on them having kids. Casey loves 'em."

"Well, good for them," remarked Hyde, opening his fourth bottle on the coffee table, and taking a long drink, proceeded by a deep burp. "But, I think I side with Forman on this one. Casey and Donna don't need a baby. Neither do you and Jackie. Also, you might want to consider getting a job of your own. You can't afford Jackie or babies."

"It's not about what other people think. It's about what me and Jackie want. I think you two should focus on yourselves."

Yeah. Eric thought so, too. 


	2. Chapter 2

_"You would think with all the genius and the brilliance of these items,_

_We might find a higher purpose and a better use of mind."_

 

***

 

"Hey, Eric," greeted his ever-loved ex-lab partner, Buddy Morgan. Considering the events that had occurred between them in past years, they hadn't done much talking since they locked lips. They shared no classes these days, but it was a small school and they still crossed paths on a regular basis. Buddy looked like he hadn't aged a day - his face was still perfectly structured and his skin was still porcelain and clear. Hey, even though Eric wasn't gay, he was perfectly capable of appreciating a person's good looks, and Buddy certainly had them. "How have you been? I heard you and Donna broke up. She's going out with Casey Kelso?"

Ah. Good news travels fast.

"Hey Buddy. Yeah, she broke up with me a few weeks ago..." he wasn't sure why he wanted to clue in Buddy about all his life changes, but it was refreshing conversing with someone outside of his typical group. Besides that, Buddy didn't have a passive aggressive bone in his body. He was good company, and a good person to talk to - anything Eric said to him, he knew would be kept secret. "It sucks but, what can you do?"

That seemed to be Eric's general attitude as far as the break up went. There were other girls in the world. The sky wasn't falling. For the first time in a long time, Eric was actually free of burden and free of concern. He found it to be quite relaxing, actually. 

"Sure, sure," said Buddy, helping himself to the seat on the bench beside Eric, opening up his lunch. The others had yet to arrive, but Eric didn't doubt that they would take some teasing when the time came. None of them seemed to have a problem with Buddy's homosexuality - if anything, they just found it something to joke about and prod at. Buddy seemed to take it well enough, which was pretty sad. "Hey, my family just put in a really cool system in the basement. Kind of like a movie theater? I was wondering if you wanted to come check it out?"

For a moment, he didn't speak - but then he remembered; his goal was to maintain his friendships. Maybe in the process he could rekindle past relationships. Buddy knew he wasn't gay - therefore he wouldn't try anything. Right? "Yeah, Buddy. That sounds great, actually."

Buddy smiled, his dimples popping out - something that Eric hadn't realized before. The more he thought about it, the more he found Buddy increasingly attractive. He never thought of his other friends in such a light. It was nothing to worry about, he was sure. 

"Great," Buddy said, chowing down on his lunch. "We can head over after school."

Eric actually found himself looking forward to it, but before he could express his gratitude, Kelso and Hyde approached the table. Hyde got a dirty smirk on his face when he saw Buddy sitting there, in the spot that used to belong to Donna (who now went to lunch with Casey on a regular basis). "Hey, Buddy. How's it been going?" His voice was teasing as per normal as he sat on the other side of Eric, tossing an arm over his shoulder carelessly. 

"Wonderful," Buddy smiled, seeming unbothered by the attitude. He was a lot more composed than others while dealing with Hyde and his sarcastic nature. "How are you, Steven? I haven't seen you around."

"Oh, ditching classes as per normal. You know how it is," remarked Hyde, before turning his attention back to Eric. "Hey, are you planning on being at Pam Macy's tonight? It's her birthday and she's throwing a massive party."

"Yeah," added Kelso, a dumb grin on his face. Eric still found it amusing that Jackie allowed Kelso to hang around Pam and all of her friends, considering previous endeavors. He had to hand it to Jackie - she was really beginning to grow up. "It would be a really good time for you to find a new girl, you know. Pam is a good lay if you're not looking to date."

Eric rolled his eyes. "I'm not interested in Pam Macy. Or dating. Besides that, I'm going over to Buddy's tonight."

"Huh?" Hyde questioned, looking between the two of them. Buddy had a shit-eating grin on his face; it was clear that he was internally gloating. "I didn't know you guys were still hanging out."

"We weren't, until today," chimed Buddy, sparing Eric from having to explain. "I invited him over. My parents just installed a home theater. But, Eric, if you would rather go to that party, I wouldn't object to that."

Eric was quick to shut that idea down. "No, of course not. I'll come over."

Kelso and Hyde chuckled, and Buddy just grinned to himself.

 

***

 

"You know, Buddy. I'm really happy you invited me over. I was a little hesitant at first considering...our past. But you've been so nice and I feel like I don't deserve your friendship...I know I'm being dorky..."

Buddy smiled, reaching over and patting Eric's arm. He had a warmer touch than what he used to. "Aw, Eric, it's really no trouble. You can probably guess but...I usually don't have anyone around. Not many people are comfortable being at my house, you know...?"

Eric frowned, Buddy's hand still lingering on his arm. "It's okay, Buddy. I'm sorry about not talking to you recently. I've missed hanging out with you."

"Thank you, Eric."

Everything was silent for a moment, before Eric pressed in closer - and this time, it was him who made the move. He pressed his lips to Buddy's, feeling a familiar warmth - but this time it was much softer and more calm as opposed to nearly getting manhandled in Buddy's car. Eric never thought another man's lips could feel so soft. So... _right_. 

Buddy seemed stunned at first, but sure enough, his hand curled around Eric's neck as he worked their lips together in a refined, careful way. It was clear he knew what he was doing. Eric couldn't believe he passed up the opportunity to do this sooner...

 

***

 

"Eric? Eric!"

Eric woke with a jolt, finding that he had fallen asleep on the couch in the basement of the Morgan home. The system was beautiful, a pristine picture to say the least, but Eric figured he must have fallen asleep at the some point during the night and...

_Did he just dream about kissing Buddy Morgan?_

 


	3. Chapter 3

_"Talk about your plenty,_

_Talk about your ills -_

_One man gathers what another man spills."_

 

_***_

 

"It's...complicated," explained Eric, trying to find a way to express his rampant feelings. Smoking an ounce with Buddy was no way to healthily cure his ailments, but it would have to do for now. Besides that, Buddy had the money to find the quality stuff, and Eric wasn't about to let that opportunity pass him by. "I feel so...dumb. So powerless. So _worthless_. Don't you ever wonder what the point in all of this is? We live, we fail - we die."

Buddy was a good listener, Eric had to give him that. Unlike the typical group of friends he was usually with, Buddy never called him a pansy for thinking the way that he did. The two were from completely different worlds, and even though Buddy couldn't relate, he was very willing to offer his support. Eric didn't know what he ever did to deserve a friend of his caliber. Even after their messy encounter several months prior, he was still so kind and understanding. Eric didn't like to think of exactly why that was. 

"I'm sure," said Buddy, as a cloud of thick smoke escaped his cherry lips. Eric couldn't help but to notice how red they were. "Hey, I know this is probably not a good time to say this but...I got into Yale."

In Point Place, people applying and getting accepted into major schools was unheard of. Not that everyone in their small, hick town was stupid - but they definitely had low aspirations. Apparently Buddy wasn't like the rest of them. 

"Wow," said Eric, his lips pursing into a narrow frown. "Ivy League. Congrats."

Eric was both humbled and humiliated by Buddy's confession. He was happy for his old friend, that much was for certain, but he was also depressed that everyone else seemed to have their lives figured out, and he didn't. Of course, with wealth like Buddy's, pretty much anything was possible. He was smart, motivated, rich - essentially, he was everything that Eric wanted to be. 

"Hey, thanks. I'm sorry that you're going through all this shit. ...I'm planning on taking a trip to the campus over spring break. You're more than welcome to join, if you'd like. I don't really want to travel by myself."

Floored, Eric couldn't give a clear answer. "Wow, Buddy...I'd have to talk to my parents, of course..."

Buddy nodded, a small smile pulling at the corners of his mouth. Again, Eric found himself wondering why Buddy bothered being so kind and hospitable towards him. They hadn't spoke for several months, yet he was still treating Eric as though nothing was amiss. Eric found himself missing the friendship that they used to have - rekindling it would be of vital importance. 

His mind flashed briefly towards the kiss, and he blinked his eyes heavily - almost as if it would clear his head. Of course it didn't. He didn't know why he had to have such a confusing dream, because if there was _one_ thing he knew for certain, it's that he wasn't gay. He didn't feel a damn thing the first time their lips ever touched - nothing other than weirdness, honestly. However, in his dream, it was as though lighting had struck and lit up every fiber of his being; it almost felt like an electric shock, straight to his core. 

But Eric wasn't gay. That just wasn't possible. By this point in his life, especially considering their shared kiss, he would know if he was gay or not. He never felt sexual or romantic attraction towards another male, and considering he was around Hyde and Kelso day after day, he didn't think he ever would. He didn't see the appeal in dating or having sex with men. 

Or with women, for that matter. 

"Eric," chuckled Buddy, yanking him out of his rampant thoughts. Buddy had a way of doing that, which Eric was thankful for - delving too deeply in his own thoughts could often get dangerous. "Where's your head today? You keep zoning out, dozing off..."

"In space," Eric joked. He could talk to Buddy about a lot of things, but not about this. He glanced down at his forgotten joint and took another hit, sucking marijuana smoke deeply in his throat, feeling it burn at the very bottom of his lungs. He hated the taste of cigarettes, but pot never failed him. Once he blew out smoke through his nostrils, he had gained enough breath to speak. "I don't know. Don't call me a dumbass but...I really needed this."

Buddy's eyes softened significantly, which was a rarity. "You're not dumb, Eric. I have faith in you and I know you can figure this out."

Eric stared at Buddy for a few brief moments, feeling the wind slowly leave his body. He felt sick to his stomach suddenly, and with a sudden heave, spilled his guts all over the leather couch. 

 

***

 

"How was your date? I miss seeing your boyfriend."

"Lay off Hyde," snarled Eric, sliding the glass door shut as he stalked into the kitchen. Immediately after getting sick, Buddy drove him home - telling Eric that some rest would do him good, and maybe a hot bath if he was feeling up to it. They both knew Eric wasn't actually sick. If anything, it was the nerves. Eric would never tell him what was going through his head as he spewed. It was too risky. Too impossible. "I got sick."

Hyde rolled his eyes, placing his elbows on the table and supporting his chin with both fists. "Okay, princess. What exactly is the matter? You look as white as a damn ghost."

If Eric was uncomfortable telling Buddy what lingered in the dark recesses of his mind, there was no way in  _hell_ he could ever tell Hyde. He would be ridiculed, teased, harassed - all in good humor, sure, but Eric didn't think the situation at hand was comical at all. He was actually fairly stressed out by everything, so the last thing he wanted was for his feelings to be undermined. 

He bit his lip, searching in the cupboards for a can of soup. "I don't know, okay? Probably just the flu."

He wished. 


End file.
